Reminiscent Animations
by Kitty Darner
Summary: KD returns to the Animension to reunite with her cousins but finds that the once cheerful world she knew is now nothing but a dreary wasteland of despair. With her family torn, she must restore the Animaniacs world to it's former glory before the government uses her cousins to destroy the world. But the true question is, is it really all her fault?
1. Chapter I

I glance at my phone for the seventh time, a nervous look splayed across my face. It's digital screen reads 7:43 am, thirteen minutes later than I had hoped to leave for my destination. _I don't belong here_, I continuously say in my head. It was true, I was out of place among the dreary fading grays and blacks of people passing by me outside the busy airport terminal. My shirt was white and yellow striped, my pants we're acid washed, and a golden star locket graced my neck. A little lost light in a sea of darkness, is what I was. The screech of tires stopping in front of my bench sends gravel everywhere. I quickly grab my luggage and hop into the cab's back seat ready to leave the dismal surroundings. The inside of the cab isn't much better, it's leather seats a dull brown and it reeks of cigarette smoke. There's an unfinished sub on the dash and a Bugs Bunny hula girl sits right next to it. The pine tree air freshener that was hanging above it on the rear view mirror had long expired, it's once green appearance now a mucky black.

"Where to miss?" The cabby asks me. I try not to gag on his rancid breath which smells of tobacco and Chinese food.

"4000 Warner Boulevard please." I reply trying to settle into the torn up seat. The cab pulls away from the curb as I fish an old photo out of my jacket pocket. The edges are curling and it's slowly yellowed as time passed, but I recognize the photo just the same. It's me and my cousins having a picnic when we were younger. I can't help but smile at the oldest one's face, it was the first time he had ever used that devilish grin. His little sister had her arms wrapped around his neck for a piggy back ride and his little brother was busy trying to shove a lollipop into his mouth. And then there was me with an arm around the younger brother giving him a noogie on top of his beloved cap. The picture was the only thing left to show the happy memories from that day, the memory itself all but forgotten. A sigh escapes my lips and I tuck the picture back into my pocket as I sit back to relax for the first time since I left. After all this time, I finally felt like I could be at home again. As I sit back into the seat, a strange feeling overcomes me. A feeling that I'm being watched.

I raise my coffee cup to my lips to take a swig of the bitter liquid when my target looks at her cell phone again with a growing concern. I shake my head in disapproval, her attitude completely out of character. I had been watching her since she first decided to leave her make shift home back east and so far I was not impressed her actions. The eighteen year old brunette tried not to make eye contact with anyone, her feelings of not belonging very evident. I too didn't belong in the bland terminal, my streaked hair a shot of color in the drab atmosphere. My hiking boots and leather jacket weren't exactly something you would see in this part of town either. The dark sunglasses that covered my eyes however fit the description of the neighborhood perfectly. But even though we were out of place, I would never have guessed she would be the one who would fidget about it. She was usually confident in herself, always prepared to be different from the crowd. Her actions today showed otherwise. What had happened to that same girl I'd known years prior to now? Where had her spitfire attitude disappeared to? Why had she become so unsure of herself? These were the questions I was looking to answer. As she climbed into the cab I head to the place I had left my dual sport and I start it up. I slide my helmet on and push off from the curb to follow the girl to her destination, although I was already positive on where she was going. Neither of us had been there in years but I knew that would be the first place she would go to upon her return, it's connection to her one of the strongest I had ever seen. It not only contained memories of her childhood, but it also contained something she had left behind. Her family.


	2. Chapter II

As the cab drives down the highway I tip my head back and stare at the ceiling unsure of what I'm going to say upon my arrival._ Will they be mad? Will they remember me? Will they _even_ care_? I think uneasily. I don't know how they're going to react since I left out of the blue like I did. But I couldn't just sit around that place anymore and not know what else was out there. I had to leave...

"So where're you from, if you don't mind my asking." The driver tries to start a conversation to relieve some of the dead space.

"I'm uh, from here actually." I reply nervously wishing he would just stop there, but instead he persisted.

"You're a Cali girl are ya'? Well, what brings you back to our "oh so cheery" state?"

"I have family here and I could use a little bit of home..."

"I see. Yeah, family can make you do some of the craziest things sometimes."

"Oh you have no idea..."

He gives me a strange look but he's soon occupied with something else as he whips his head to the left. A smile grows on his face and he points out a tall fire brick building with children milling around the courtyard out front.

"You can't forget a school like that now can ya'? You ever heard of EMCA University?" He asks in rapid fire. A small smile tugs at my lips and I nod my head slightly.

"Heard of it? I attended it." I lightly brag.

"_Really_? You only look like you're fifteen." He observes. I grimace at his estimate, my height fooling another person.

"Actually I was fourteen."

"_Sure_. And I was the queen of England, nice try kid."

"I'm not kidding, I was in the class of ninety eig-"

I bite my tongue before he can correct me on something that _did_ happen, it's just something that didn't happen _here_. A satisfied smirk lines his face and I sit back with a "hmph". I hate being wrong, even when I'm right... We continue in silence for a few more minutes when he brings up the question that I knew would be asked.

"So are your cousins going to be there when I drop you off?" He looks at me in his rear view with a quizzical look.

"I'm not sure, this was kind of a last minute thing and-"

"You don't know how they're going to react. I can see where you'd be worried but if they're your cousins they shouldn't care because it's been so long since you saw them and..."

I tune him out after he starts to talk about the cute thing his cat did the other and how he treats it like his kid. Even though I've been gone for a few years I should've known that people were still going to be inconsiderate jerks... Suddenly the cab screeches to a stop and I'm thrust into the window separating the cab from the backseat. Rubbing my head I throw the door open and pull my luggage out only to be met with an outstretched hand from the drivers side. I roll my eyes and hand him what I owe before trying to make my way onto the sidewalk. He clears his throat and motions for more, a tip seemingly deservable. I look at him with disgust before leaning down to his eye level.

"You want a tip? Two words, _Tic-Tac_." I exasperate into his smug face. He frustratingly puts the taxi back into gear and pulls away from the curb mumbling swear words under his breath. A smirk fixes itself on my face as I watch him disappear over the hill. Turning back to my luggage I pull it over to the vast gate waiting in front of me. The security guard looks me over but before he can ask for some identification I flash a laminated card as I pass his stand. He tips his hat and calls someone for my bag when I stop to look at my surroundings. I take in the scents, sights, and sounds with a sense of contentedness. The man the guard called tries to grab my bag but I shake my head and tell him I've got it. Heading back to his post he tips his hat as well.

"If you're sure miss. Enjoy your day at Warner Brothers Studios."

"That's my girl." I whisper to myself as I watch my target insult the shotty driver with confidence. She still had that attitude that I had longed to see her use since her departure. I'm not sure if it was coming back to WBS or it was the fact that her boiling point had been reached that had set her off, but whatever it was it was a relief to see her back to her normal self. I steer my bike into the abandoned backstage entrance and pull of my helmet to take in the old studio. It's been almost four years since either of us have been here, the memories still fresh in my mind. I'm sure the workers still remember us, our history with them very close. Once my bike is taken care of I head out of the old soundstage to seek out the girl. It's not hard to find her, her bright clothes giving away her position rather quickly. But something is different about her, something new. Her eyes are lit with a bright twinkle of wonder and her face has gathered the warmth of imagination. She's beginning to get back in touch with the place that made her what she is. She's not the only one, for my entire body has perked up at the site of the soundstages and workers rushing to finish the scene their on. This place was more than just another memory, it was home. When I walk through the crowd people stop and welcome me back to the lot. I smile and nod at them before continuing on to where the girl has stopped. She's dropped her luggage and is now staring up at something on the side of an old abandoned soundstage long under used. I follow her gaze to an old billboard plastered there and a small laugh escapes my mouth. I walk up beside her and stand to look at the picture with tears of joy welling in my eyes.

"Where have the years gone?" I ask her not moving my eyes from the image. She chuckles and shakes her head.

"I don't know, but they've made you sloppy." She teases before embracing me in a tight hug.

"It's good to see you again KD."

"Same to you Arti."


End file.
